Psychological Disorders Part 2

Announcements

• Study guide for the final exam is posted
• Students can ask questions on Wednesday or Thursday
• Final exam: Thursday, December 12, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM, LA 290
• Previous announcement of LA 270 was a typo
• Class email will be sent
• Class on Thursday, 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM, LA 170

Psychological Disorders Part 2

• Part 1 covered Anxiety Disorders
• Part 2 will cover Mood Disorders and Schizophrenia

General Classes of Disorders

• Anxiety disorders
• Mood disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Personality disorders
• Somatoform disorders
• Dissociative disorders

Anxiety Disorders

• Panic disorder
• Social phobia
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Mood Disorders

• Depressive
  • Major depressive disorder
  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Bipolar
  • Major depression
  • Dysthymia
  • Atypical depression
  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

Mood Disorders Description

• Characterized by disturbances in emotion strong enough to intrude on everyday life
• Interfere with an individual's ability to function effectively
• Moods and emotions are extreme and unwarranted by situation demands
• Ranges from severe depression to extreme elation

Case Study: Tina

• Friends describe Tina as happy, outgoing
• Lately, Tina has stopped contacting friends, going out, and returning emails
• Tina rarely has energy to get out of bed
• Tina cannot explain feelings of sadness and loss of enjoyment in activities

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

• Persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and inability to concentrate
• Interferes with concentration, decision making, and sociability
• Symptoms include:
  • Feelings of worthlessness
  • Loneliness
  • Crying
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Suicide

The Depression Project Documentary

• Directed, Produced, Presented, and Edited by Grace Owen
• Available online at www.twitter.com/GracefaceTV
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOgL31GHf3E
• Explores why mental health issues are taboo

A Test for Depression

• To complete, count statements agreed with
• Statements include feelings of sadness, lack of enjoyment, worthlessness, and difficulty sleeping, etc
• Helps determine if professional help is needed

Bipolar Disorder

• Formerly known as manic-depressive disorder
• Characterized by mood swings from ecstatic elation (mania) to deep depression

Bipolar Disorder (Manic Phase)

• Inflated self-esteem, excessive euphoria and energy
• Often irrational and delusional
• Restlessness, inability to sit still or sleep
• Rapid flight of ideas
• Argumentative, poor judgment, e.g., destroying property and giving possessions away

Bipolar Disorder (Depressive Phase)

• Often includes sleeping more than usual, being lethargic
• Individuals tend to withdraw and experience irritability

Mood Disorders: Bipolar Disorder (Data)

• Graph showing number of musical compositions by Robert Schumann related to periods of mania and depression
• Data suggests link between mania and creativity in some people

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

• Depressive mood disorder that manifests during winter months
• Marked by increased eating, sleeping, weight gain, and depressed mood
• Affects an estimated one million Canadians every year
• Estimated to affect 3% of Canadian population, with 15% having milder version

Causes of Mood Disorders

• Psychoanalytic theory
  • Feelings of loss
  • Anger directed at oneself
• Genetic and biochemical theory
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Brain chemistry
• Behavioral view
  • Lack of positive reinforcers
  • Self-reinforcing cycle
• Cognitive view
  • Learned helplessness
  • Negative cognitions
• Evolutionary theory
  • Depression is an adaptive response to unachievable goals
  • Lifts when individual pursues more reasonable goals

Schizophrenia

• Schizophrenia is a severe psychological disorder that affects all aspects of a person's life
• Loss of contact with reality
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Inappropriate or flat affect
• Disturbances of thought
• Social withdrawal
• Bizarre or erratic behavior

Case Study: Frank

• Frank became withdrawn and prone to odd behaviors in high school
• Spent a lot of time alone, doodling, staring out the window
• Talked in strange sentences, sometimes shouting
• With regular medication, behavior is now largely controlled
• Unable to attend college or hold a job due to frequent thought and behavior disturbances

Schizophrenia Symptoms

• People with schizophrenia have problems in memory, attention, and communication
• Symptoms are very removed from most people's everyday experiences
• Usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood
• Affects 1 person in 100
• Symptoms fall into positive and negative categories

Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Present or noticeable
• Include excessive and bizarre symptoms including:
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Looseness of association
  • Disturbances in thought or speech
  • Grossly disorganized behavior
  • Inappropriate affect

Hallucinations

• A sensory perception in the absence of sensory stimulation that is confused with reality
• Imaginary sensations, e.g., seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling things that are not there

Delusions

• False beliefs not generally shared by one's culture
• Very hard to dissuade, even with evidence
• Examples include believing thoughts are broadcast, or being targeted by government or alien forces

Common Delusions

• Delusion of Persecution: Erroneous belief that one is being victimized or persecuted
• Delusion of Grandeur: False belief that one is famous or possesses great talents, knowledge, or authority

Other Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Disturbances in thought or speech
• Grossly disorganized behavior
• Inappropriate affect

Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Involve a loss or deficiency
• Include
  • Lack of emotional expression (flat affect)
  • Lack of motivation (or goal-directed activity)
  • Loss of pleasure in activities
  • Social withdrawal
  • Poverty of speech
  • Slow movements

Types of Schizophrenia

• Paranoid
• Disorganized
• Catatonic
• Undifferentiated

Paranoid Schizophrenia

• Characterized by delusions and frequent auditory hallucinations
• Delusions usually involve grandeur and persecution
• May become violent in attempts to defend against imaginary attackers
• Better chance of recovery than catatonic or disorganized types

Disorganized Schizophrenia

• Most serious type, marked by extreme social withdrawal, hallucinations, delusions
• Silliness, inappropriate laughter, grimaces, grotesque mannerisms or bizarre behaviors
• Exhibit social impairment with silliness, and nonsensical speech

Catatonic Schizophrenia

• Characterized by striking impairment in motor activity
• Slowing of activity into stupor or agitation
• Waxy flexibility, maintaining positions others manipulate

Undifferentiated Schizophrenia

• Catch-all category
• Symptoms don't clearly fall into other categories or fit multiple categories

Psychological Disorders in Perspective

• How prevalent are psychological disorders?
• What indicates a need for a mental health practitioner?

Prevalence of Psychological Disorders

• 48% of people will experience a psychological disorder at some point in their lives
• Most common disorder is depression
• Second most common disorder is alcohol dependence

Indicators for Seeking Professional Help

• Prolonged feelings of distress
• Episodes of overwhelming stress with inability to cope
• Prolonged depression or hopelessness
• Withdrawal from other people
• Chronic physical problems with no physical cause
• Phobias that prevent daily activities
• Feeling others are plotting against you
• Inability to interact effectively with others

Need for Help

• If you or someone you know needs help, talk to someone you trust
• Contact listed resources for support

Student Support Resources

• Counseling Centre
  • Individual, couples counselling
  • Academic coaching
  • Consultations
  • Free to students, 4th Floor Student Centre, call 420-5615, email [email protected]
• Student Health Center
  • Located on 4th floor, Student Center
  • Phone: 420-5611 or 496-8778
• Online Supports
  • Healthy Minds NS (text, phone, online options)
  • Togetherall (safe online community)
  • Good2Talk NS (phone/textline for post-secondary students)
  • Anxiety Canada